Houston Area Five Players to Watch: 5A – District 20
These are some of the most promising prospects in the division for the upcoming high school season The high school volleyball season is set to start in just a few weeks in the state of Texas and after a quick…
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Continue ReadingThese are some of the most promising prospects in the division for the upcoming high school season
The high school volleyball season is set to start in just a few weeks in the state of Texas and after a quick break following the conclusions of the club season, we can’t wait any longer to watch the top prospects of the Lone Star State in action again.
There will be several thousand players in action across the 1,207 high school teams that compete in the six divisions of the University Interscholastic League (UIL) and among them, there are some very talented ones, who certainly have a bright future in the sport.
As we continue to preview what the high school season will look like in the Houston area, we shift our focus from teams to players and highlight five of the most intriguing prospects in the districts located in the region.
This time we’ll look at Division 5A – District 20:
Bailey Warren Bailey Warren 5'10" | OH Fulshear | 2025 State #94 Nation TX – Outside Hitter – Fulshear – Club: Houston Skyline – 2025
One of the most exciting class of 2025 players to come out in the entire state during the last high school season, Baily Warren is a force at the net. The 5’9” outside hitter is very athletic and she showed she can score in her freshman season, tallying 345 kills for Fulshear. She will certainly be asked to carry an even larger offensive load this season after her sister and fellow outside hitter Brielle graduated. Although her offense, which impresses by her physical power and body control, is her calling card, Warren is also solid on the backcourt, having registered 236 digs and 378 passes last season.
Brooke Morris – Setter/Right Side – Lamar Consolidated – Club: Houston Juniors – 2023
A talented setter who likes to run a fast-paced offense and is very precise with her locations, Brooke Morris was important to her Lamar Consolidated team in a variety of ways last season. The 5’6” prospect used her excellent all-around game to play multiple roles for the team and ended the season with 189 assists, 140 digs, 61 kills, 60 passes and 22 aces, making it to the district’s first team. Morris does a great job when setting against the flow and is also extremely well-versed on the backcourt, being able to be used as a defensive specialist as well.
English Jackson – Middle Blocker – Willowridge – 2023
A 5’11” middle blocker with excellent physical tools, English Jackson will be the centerpiece of her Willowridge team in 2022-2023. She has a very good presence at the net thanks to her long arms and great timing, a combination that makes her nearly flawless when handling overpasses or getting into jousts. Jackson can also hit from the pin too and will often score off of tips and well-placed shots, showing her great court vision.
Jackie Onyechi Jackie Onyechi 6'0" | MB Foster | 2024 State TX – Middle Blocker – Foster – Club: Houston Juniors – 2024
An extremely athletic, 5’11” middle blocker, Jackie Onyechi Jackie Onyechi 6'0" | MB Foster | 2024 State TX is involved with everything Foster does on the court and more so with what they do at the net. Her physicality can often be a game-changer for the Falcons, who rely on Onyechi to dominate the net with her big and aggressive blocking and her offense that’s built on her extremely high contact point and her quick feet. She was the team’s top hitter (227 kills) and blocker (101 stuffs) in 2021-2022 and could be set to produce even more this season.
Sophie Ilagan Sophie Ilagan 5'3" | DS/L Kempner | 2024 TX – Libero – Fort Bend Kempner – Club: Katy United – 2024
Fresh from being named the Defensive Player of the Year of district 24, Sophie Illagan will be a key player for Fort Bend Kempner as they move into district 20 in 2022-2023. Have a solid defensive presence on the backcourt impact every aspect of the game and the Cougars are lucky to have the 5’3” Illagan, who has been extremely productive for them last season with 567 digs, 690 passes and 43 aces. She impresses with her quickness to react and to put her body in position to make contact with the ball and send it exactly where she wants.